Wire cable sling and method of fabricating same



Jan. 10, 1961 A. A. HlMlCK ETAL 2,967,391

WIRE CABLE SLING AND METHOD OF FABRICATING SAME Filed June 13, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. "Pl-TON r? ////M ICK GMZnG-Pmzau United States Patent '0 WIRE CABLE SLING AND METHOD OF FABRICATING SAME Filed June 13, 1958, Ser. No. 741,793

Claims. (Cl. 57-142) This invention relates to an improved wire cable sling and to an improved method of fabricating such' a sling.

Wire cable slings comprising an intermediate body portion of wire cable provided with a cable loop at each of its two opposite ends are in wide use in lifting loads of material. Such cable slings are commonlyjformed of a wire cable which consists of a plurality of strands of twisted individual wires. The strands themselves are twisted together to form the cable. An eye-splice is formed at each of the two opposite ends of the cable and the end portions of the strands of wire which make up the eye-splice are spliced back into the body portion of the sling. Such is conventional practice.

An object of this invention is to provide a sling of the character described which possesses greater strength than the conventional sling formed of the same kind of cable.

Another object is to provide a cable sling so formed that the loops or eye-splices at opposite ends are tensioned so as to normally hold the opposite sides of the loops spread apart and to prevent collapse thereof.

Another object is the provision of a sling of the character described wherein the intermediatetbody portion of the sling is entirely free from protruding ends of strands of wire cable and presents a smooth exterior surface for handling by a user.

Another object is the provision of a cable sling of the character herein set forth wherein the end portions of strands that are spliced back into the cable upon the completion of the formation of the end loops arespliced back into opposite sides of the end loops extending from the crotch of each loop toward the bight of the loop, whereby the cable may be drawn from underneath a load which has been lifted and from either end of the cable, and there will be no projecting end portions of individual strands to obstruct such withdrawal movement of the cable.

Another object is the provision of an improved process for the formation of a cable sling wherein the two groups of strands which are twisted together to form the end loops have the end portions of the separate strands which make up each group extended across the crotch of the loop and are spliced back into the opposite side of the loop extending from the crotch toward the bight of the loop.

Other objects, advantages, and meritorious features will more fully appear from the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 'l is a plan of a length of cable capable of being utilized to form a cable sling;

Fig. 2 represents the first step in the process of forming the sling;

Fig. 3 represents the second step in the process which is also illustrated in a large view in Fig. 7;

Fig. 4 represents the third step in the process which is also illustrated in a large view in Fig. 6;

Fig. 5 represents the final step in the process but prior to cutting otf the projected ends of individual strands to form the finished sling;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of the third step shown also in Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged view of the second step shown also in Fig. 3.

Wire cable or wire rope is commonly formed of a plurality of strands twisted together. Each-strand is commonly formed of a plurality of separate wires twisted together. Such plurality of strands as are desired for the size and character of the cable may be used; Itis also common practice to provide a corestrandof suit able impregnated material to lubricate the wire strands.

In Fig. 1 a length of cable is shown in itstnormal state. 24'. in length. The two immediately adjacent portions at opposite ends of the intermediate portion, each of which is indicated as 12, might be 12" in length. The next two adjacent linear portions 14 might be 12" in length. The two outer end portionsfindicated as 16 might be 16" in length. It is understood that these figures are merely examples of suitable lengths inthe formation of a cable sling and might be .varied as desired. The cable shown in Fig. 1 might consist of any number of strands twisted together. In the cable shown, six strands are twisted together to form the cable.

In Fig. 2 the opposite end portions of the length of cable shown in Fig. 1 have been separated by untwisting the strands into two groups, each group consisting of three strands. These two groups are spread apart as shown in Fig. 2. Inasmuch as the two loops at the opposite end of the sling are identical, one loop only will be described as to its formation. p

The two groups of strands which form a loop at theright-hand of the cable may be indicated by the numerals 18 and 20. These two groups are brought together to form the bight of the loop as shown in Fig. 3 or in enlarged form in Fig. 7. It will be noted that the group 18 includes in addition to the three wire strands, the end portion of an impregnated cord 22 which extends through the length of the cable. Fig. 7 shows the ends of the two groups of strands as broken awayas compared with Fig. 3, but it illustrates how the two groupsof three strands each are brought together so as to be twisted about each other as they extend back toward the body of the cable sling. These two groups of' three strands each are laid together in the same fashion as they were laid together originally in the formation 'of the cable. In Fig. 6 that portion of opposite sides of the loop at the crotch shows how the two groups of three strands each are twisted together to form the loop.

It will appear from Figs. 4 and 6 that when these two groups of three strands each are twisted together as groups to complete the two opposite sides of the loop, there will be projecting end portions indicated as 24 and 26. It is apparent that this will be true because; of the fact that the portion 16 of the cable in Fig. 1 is longer than the portions 12 and 14 which constitute the two opposite sides of the loop as originally formed. Fig. 6 shows the separate strands of each group as spread apart throughout the end portions beyond the crotch. For convenience in following the strands, the draftsman has indicated them by different cross-hatching or numerals. Fig. 6, of course, shows the strands as broken off because the actual extension of the end portions would be more nearly as shown in'Fig. 4.

These separate strands of the two groups cross each other in the crotch of the loop and the separate strands are spliced into and between the strands that constitute the opposite sides of the loop. Fig. 6 shows the institution of this splicing. The splicing itself is conventional wire splicing except that the end portions of the strands are spliced so as to extend back along the opposite sides The intermediate portion indicated as 10might be of the loop toward the bight thereof as shown in Fig. 5 instead of being spliced into the body portion of the sling as is now practiced. It is understood that these end portions would be spliced into position to the extent feasible. When they get too short for splicing, they may be cut oil.

When the loops or eye-splices are completed, it will be seen that the end portions of the individual strands of the two groups have been spliced into opposite sides of the loops in a direction extending away from the crotch of the loop toward the bight of the loop. The loops therefore are stronger than where the strands are spliced into the body 10.

The intermediate portion is also entirely free from any protruding ends of individual strands. These ends of individual strands extend as here spliced toward the bight of the loop so that the cable sling may be pulled from either end from underneath a load Without danger of the extremities of the strands obstructing its movement. It will also be evident that the tension exerted by individual strands as they are crossed over the crotch of the loop and spliced back into opposite sides tend to hold the loops distended or open at all times. The strength of the sling and the loops is increased by this method of splicing the ends of the several strands of the two groups back into opposite sides of the loops as shown.

What we claim is:

1. A wire cable sling formed of a plurality of wire strands twisted together and comprising an intermediate body portion provided at each of its two opposite ends with an eye loop, each eye loop formed of two groups f strand continuations frm the body portion wherein each group consists of a plurality of continuations of strands of the body portion, said two groups of strands diverging at the crotch of the loop adjacent to the body portion and extending away from the body portion forming opposite sides of the loop and converging together at the bight of the loop remote from the body portion and twisted about each other as they extend away from the bight toward the crotch along opposite sides of the loop, the separate strands of each of said two groups of strands extending across the crotch of the loop and individually spliced as separate strands into and between the strands of the opposite sides of the loop and extending toward the bight of the loop.

2. A wire cable sling formed of a plurality of wire strands twisted together and comprising an intermediate body portion provided at each of its two opposite ends with an eye loop, each eye loop formed of two groups of strand continuations from the body portion wherein each group consists of the same number of strand continuations, said two groups collectively including all of the strands of the body portion, said two groups of strands diverging at opposite ends of the body portion forming the crotch of the eye loop and extending away from the crotch forming opposite sides of the loop and converging together remote from the body portion forming the bight of the loop, said two groups of strands extending away from the bight of the loop toward the body portion and twisted as groups of strands about each other along opposite sides of the loop as they extend away from the bight to the crotch thereof, the several strands of each group being separated as they extend beyond the crotch of the loop and extended across said crotch and spliced as individual strands into and between the strands of the two groups which constitute the opposite sides of the loop and spliced thereinto extending from the crotch toward the bight of the loop.

3. A wire cable sling formed of a plurality of wire strands twisted together and comprising an intermediate body portion provided at one end with an eye loop portion, said loop portion formed from two groups of wire strand continuations of the strands of the body portion, which two groups diverge from each other as they extend away from the end of the body portion forming the crotch of the wire loop portion, said two groups of strands extending away from the crotch forming the opposite sides of the eye loop and converging together beyond the end of the body portion forming the bight of the eye loop, said two groups of strands being twisted together as groups extending away from the bight toward the crotch and extending across the crotch adjacent to the end of the body portion, individual strands of each group being spliced into and between the strands of the opposite sides of the loop and extended toward the bight of the loop.

4. That process of forming a sling of wire cable made up of a plurality of wire strands twisted together comprising, in combination, untwisting the strands from each other at each end of the cable throughout a portion of the length of the cable extending inwardly from the ends and leaving a twisted intermediate portion of the cable length between said untwisted end portions, separating the untwisted strands at each end into two groups of strands, spreading said two groups of strands at each end of the cable apart to form the crotch of an eye loop at each end of the cable, bringing said two groups of strands at each end of the cable together spaced beyond the end of the twisted intermediate length of the cable forming the bight of each eye loop at each end of the cable, twisting the said two groups of strands together throughout the opposite sides of the eye loop from the bight toward the crotch of the eye loop and extending each of said two groups of strands across the crotch of the eye loop, and then splicing the individual strands of each group of strands into the opposite sides of the eye loop and extending from the crotch toward the bight of the loop.

5. That process of forming an eye loop in one end of a wire cable made up of a plurality of wire strands twisted together comprising, in combination, untwisting the strands from each other at such end of the wire cable throughout a portion of the length of the cable extending inwardly from such end and leaving the remainder of the cable with the strands twisted together, separating the untwisted strands at such ends into two groups of strands, spreading said two groups of strands at such end of the cable apart to form the crotch of an eye loop at such end of the cable, bringing said two groups of strands at such end of the cable together spaced beyond the crotch of the eye loop forming the bight of the eye loop at such end of the cable, twisting said two groups of strands together throughout the opposite sides of the eye loop from the bight toward the crotch of the eye loop and extending each of said two groups of strands across the crotch of the eye loop and splicing the individual strands of each group of strands into the opposite sides of the eye loop end extending from the crotch toward the bight of the loop.

Howe Mar. 16, 1920 Budzinski Nov. 23, 1948 

